headlights: blowing too often

And it might also give you a shorter life? ;-)

One of now regularly being dazzled by 'over bright headlights by oncoming vehicles. ;-(

Yes! ;-)

No, switch back to a std 60W headlamp bulb, ideally whatever the headlamp was designed for. This means the light levels would then be correct to comply with the rules as they were when lamps weren't super efficient. eg. Using wattage is a poor way to 'limit' the amount of light a lamp gives out.

I've never needed to and can't remember the last time I changed a headlamp bulb. ;-)

The bottom line is the brightness of a headlamp as seen as an advantage to the driver can often be suffered as a disadvantage to the people it faces, making it more dangerous for everyone.

The best example of this is when someone parks up at night on the wrong side of the road (to pop into some shops say) but leaves their dipped mains on. Because they are dipped *into* the direction of the oncoming cars they are even more dazzling, and that level of effect is big between older cars with 'std' headlamps (even Xenon etc) and many of these modern (HID / LED / LASER) alternatives.

The problem with these lights is they don't take into account that human eyes haven't yet evolved to deal with them. ;-(

Maybe it affects me more than some (especially those younger than me) because my night vision is still pretty good. It's not just car headlights (although they are the most common so pose a statically higher risk) but security / outside lights that are poorly positioned near a road.

We have an IR triggered LED solar light on the front of the house and all that does is 'illuminate' the front path so you can easier see where you are going, not hold a football match there. ;-)

Don't get me wrong, even after fitting the lamps you suggest, *your* headlights might not present a risk of dazzling others, just that I am concerned / aware that many do and that it *is* a safety risk to all.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 "Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road."

"You MUST NOT

use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders"

As an aside, this is another one that irritates me but understand some 'modern' cars automatically apply the handbrake and keep the brake lights on?

"In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the foot brake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again."

(And SUV indicators in your face at night in a filter lane etc). ;-(

Cheers, T i m

Headlamps should last 'years'

Check the voltage with the engine running at say 3000rpm it should be in the region of around 14.2v-14.8v

Make sure the headlamp assembly is properly clamped to the body and not bouncing in the breeze

Make sure the lamps are grease free and not handled on the glass envelope before or during fitting. Clean with meths / ipa and a paper kitchen towel

If it's around 40 deg C in the shade like it is here then do not bother :)

Have you considered an HID kit? Not all headlamp units are suitable, but if you have one which is, they give much more light and a long life.

The best type are the projector type as used by BMW etc with the bulls eye lens. They give a near perfect beam pattern, so won't cause dazzle to others.

Don't suggest that! ;-)

(because of that, plus)

Fine, if it's still within the spec of a 60W incandescent.

But not necessarily the long life of other drivers.

Except, if the are 'brighter' (I'm guessing the whole point) than a std headlamp they will also be brighter in the eyes of anyone waiting to say come out onto a roundabout, or pull out of a side junction, or be simply walking down the pavement towards them, even as seen as a light source, rather than the beam itself?

See, we seem to be tightening up on road safety in general, even to the point of testing for liquid leakage from cars (daughters Corsa could have been written off because of that one ... and as a motorcyclist / cyclist I understand the reasoning) and reducing noxious emissions / smoke and even noise, so how can we then allow a situation where people *are* being dazzled (even if 'legally' etc), when it's clear it is a risk to all of us?

?While regulations specify that all types of dipped headlights must fall between a maximum and minimum luminosity the night-time driving experience of motorists of all ages is very different with many saying dipped beams of some modern vehicles are too bright.?

Too bright for anyone other than the driver of *that* vehicle obviously, well until the oncoming vehicle hits them head on because his lights conform to the original spec as set out by watts (not light level) and aren't dazzling themselves.

I (and am sure others) can predict if an oncoming light is likely to be a straight halogen or even Xenon, compared with an LED, HID or LASER etc, simply because of the colour temperature and intensity of the source.

Maybe if you are high up in your SUV lighthouse, ordinary cars (even with extra bright lights) don't affect you as much? ;-)

As it happens, I can generally cope (all be it uncomfortable), the Mrs certainly can't (and partly why I do most of the driving, especially at night) but the highway code suggests, we should also:

"slow down, and if necessary stop, if you are dazzled by oncoming headlights" ... not so much fun if you happen to be following someone who does so when you can 'manage' ... but whilst nearly equally impacted by said extra bright light (like when going round a right hander on a country lane and again get the full effect of a dipped HID headlight upsetting your night vision). ;-(

My prediction. The law / rules will tighten up on this in the future (or technology will be built into cars to minimise the effect, like auto steering and a self blanking windscreen (like an extreme version of a self dipping / darkening interior mirror). ;-)

You can easily drive to abilities of your own driving skills and headlights. You can't predict the impact on that (excuse the pun) from the over-bright headlights of others.

Cheers, T i m

Well said, wifet and I both suffer, the very worst offenders are often the retro fitted kits where the light just goes in every direction.

Having used both, my experience is that the Philips bulbs last longer.

I think no difference to bulb life.

Thanks. ;-)

And we probably make up the ~60% who don't run new cars with such headlights (and who typically try to champion their benefits, like someone with a double ended light saber). ;-)

I wonder when PEV's are more popular we go back to lower power headlights to conserve power? ;-)

Well they are most *likely* to have the least predictable output, that's for sure.

Ignoring what technology can do, doesn't mean 'humans' (many of whom won't be mechanically or mentally perfect) will always be comfortable with it.

Like, we have a finitely tolerable range of noise, effort (via PAS and the like) sound levels and of course, light levels. We seem to be going a long way towards keeping most of those within said limits (and way below in some cases) except with light, of all types.

We have indicators that are hardly visible in many ordinary circumstances yet blinding when waiting behind them at night.

Brake lights that are ok when behind them in the daylight but again, often blinding at night and come on without the driver pressing the brake pedal. ;-(

From my POV, most of the issues are down to form over function.

Cheers, T i m

HID kits and LED retrofit are now an MOT fail. Lamp wrong colour - too blue.

Last year as it was the first year this had been in MOT it was allowed to slide. I was told not to present the car with the HIDs fitted this year. He knows I can fit and remove them in minutes. But there are lots of people that are not that competent and will be having to pay someone.

LEDs I fitted to another car were totally wrong, I had to make a aluminium shield that slid over the "bulb" to get a proper dim beam cut-off and nearside kick up.

Bulbs usually blow when first turned on, the near instant rise of temperature makes the cold weakest bit blow. In the theatre we would warm all the lights up on low power before giving them full blast. (this also improves their response time, you can usually see stage 'blinders' will be glowing dimly between use) You can simulate the low power warmup in a car by turning the lights on before starting the engine, which would give you about 2 volts less than with it running. Turning them off before the engine would make no difference to their life.

The rubbish "directionality" of many modern indicators really pisses me off. They are built into these highly streamlined clusters and sometimes completely masked if you are a bit off-axis. I think the regs. need rewriting.

Speaking of bullseye lenses, I presume that ?beam converters? as required in some countries when touring are a waste of time (or ineffective)? If they are, has the law kept up or could one get one?s collar felt by a French gendarme for not having them?

Tim

They look more like owl's eyes, which freak me out.

Agreed!

The other and possibly more 'Marmite' are the indicators that run across, like a disco light. I think they are distracting and don't offer that 'binary' indication they are supposed?

I think the 'back to basics' rear indication light clusters or like you get on trailers or 'beehive lenses' (?) or used to get on a Morris Minor Van, old Landy or still get on the back of a bus, take a lot of beating for not being Form over Function ... and were so much clearer for it.

Cheers, T i m

;-)

Even rear lights are getting more bizarre, split across the boot or (as mentioned elsewhere), all mixed / mounded together in some fancy pattern that nearly renders them useless in anything other than ideal conditions. ;-(

They are like those crazy fashion ideas that have actually got out into the real world (that never would if they were clothes).

Cheers, T i m

My HIDs are a close match colour temperature wise to tungsten. Car passed the MOT with them only a month ago.

Why would factory fit HID be OK when 'blue' but aftermarket not - everything else being equal?

The laws at the moment are a nonsense. New cars seem to come out with lights that don't meet the letter of the law. So the law is changed to accommodate them.

Well remember a VW with LED rear lights. The flashers were so dim they were near invisible in sun. Unlike any other car I've seen with tungsten.

Agreed. Same as dazzle on dip from many brand new cars.

The type of projector headlight with the bulls eye generally uses a French flag to achieve the dip beam cut-off. So many will switch from LH to RH dip.

VAG are the worst offenders.

Passat they hid the indicator as a bullseye in the middle of the brake light. Can't see indicator for dazzle of brake light. Application of brake is the start of the manoeuvre, the indication should have been made before that and would have been visible (for one or 2 flashes). Car in front is brake testing me, oh no I guess they are probably turning off without indicating, oh now they are indicating (as they turn the steering wheel).

New Golf has micro rear indicators about the same size as a crap moped.

And yes the Audi stripe.

Honda Civic is crap as well.

1970's Honda motorcycles all had bigger and better indicators than these cars.

One thing I've noticed over the recent years is that on many cars indicators are far more directional. Could be down to LEDs having a much sharper cut-off to the sides.